Blue Wine Is a Thing Now

Everybody knows that red wine is for red meat, white wine is for white meat, and rosé is for, well, whatever rosé is for. But what about blue wine? What does that go with? We have no idea. It’s not something we’ve ever had to think about before. Until now that is.

Because believe it or not, blue wine is now actually a thing thanks to Gik, a Spanish startup that’s hoping to redefine our drinking experience. They made it in collaboration with the University of the Basque Country and Azti Tecnecalia, a food research team, and the wine consists of both red and white grapes sourced from various vineyards across Spain. The blue tint comes from a combination of anthocyanin (a pigment found in grape skin) and indigo dye, and as Gik explains on their website, they chose the color because it represents “movement, innovation and infinity.” The wine will soon be available throughout selected countries in Europe, and each bottle will cost around £8.

A Spanish company is shaking up the country’s traditional wine industry with a surprising new beverage. Gïk Blue combines red and white grapes with organic pigments and flavors to produce a sweet, electric-blue wine that has some raising their eyebrows and others raising their glasses.

Gïk was born for fun, to shake things up and see what happens,” said co-creator Aritz López. “We wanted to innovate and start a little revolution and the wine industry looked like the perfect place to start.”

The only problem? No one in López’ circle of friends was an experienced winemaker, so they recruited some help from the University of the Basque Country, where a team of chemical engineers spent two years helping them “merge nature and technology” to create a blue wine.

(Spain’s northern Basque Country holds a multitude of vineyards that produce both red and white wines)

Gïk blends different varieties of red and white grapes with two organic pigments to turn it blue: anthocyanin, from the red grape skin, and indigotine, an organic compound commonly used as a reddish-blue food dye. The resulting flavor is enhanced with non-caloric sweeteners to create a product that is cross between a wine, a wine cooler and a cocktail mixer, with a mellow, sweet, slightly syrupy mouthfeel.

“At first people, didn’t believe we were selling a blue wine, but when they tried it, they loved it – and they keep coming back for it,” said Enrique Isasi of Sushi Artist Madrid

(Spain’s northern Basque Country holds a multitude of vineyards that produce both red and white wines)

Gïk blends different varieties of red and white grapes with two organic pigments to turn it blue: anthocyanin, from the red grape skin, and indigotine, an organic compound commonly used as a reddish-blue food dye. The resulting flavor is enhanced with non-caloric sweeteners to create a product that is cross between a wine, a wine cooler and a cocktail mixer, with a mellow, sweet, slightly syrupy mouthfeel.

“At first people, didn’t believe we were selling a blue wine, but when they tried it, they loved it – and they keep coming back for it,” said Enrique Isasi of Sushi Artist Madrid, one of Spain’s first restaurants to carry the product.

, one of Spain’s first restaurants to carry the product.

(Gik is sold in 25 countries and hopes to begin selling in the US next year)

But from a longevity perspective, it’s hard to know whether Gïk has legs beyond this time, place and drinking demographic, or if it is simply a millennial novelty due to run its course. Only time – or the powerful voices of the wine industry – will tell. Gïk is currently sold in 25 countries, with plans to expand to the US market next year.